It will be her
by Quiet Intensity
Summary: For it will be her, and her alone to wield the powers of our race, to protect mankind from demons and vampires alike, to shield the world of the gruesome flaws of nature. An alternative ending to VK, heavily inspired by Buffy. YuMe. Some OOC-ness. Read and review!:)
1. Chapter 1

**It Will Be Her  
**by _Quiet Intensity_

**Disclaimer: The universe of Vampire Knight and its characters belongs to Matsuri Hino. I am merely borrowing them.**

* * *

In the midst of it all, the ghost of the mother of all anti-vampire weapons rose, her golden hair spreading around her like a halo. In all her ghostly glory, she stood tall, demanding attention. A sombre look crossed her face upon seeing the turn of events in front of her. She began to speak, and the crowd listened, transfixed by the authorative note in her soft voice.

"There will be no hearts thrown into this furnace today." She stated, glancing at the crowd of vampires and hunters in front of her. "Today, in order to make the final sacrifice, evil must triumph; a sacrifice necessary to recover strength. The chosen one - the ultimate weapon - has already been selected. The future that lies ahead has already intertwined with the fate of all souls on earth. The choice has been made, and there will be no undoing it.

To end evil, one must become one with it. It has therefore been decided by the powers that be, that evil shall fester inside the weapon until it becomes indestructible - until it becomes the ultimate Vampire Knight –the protector of humanity and a righteous soldier to fight the war for peace."

They all stood still, too shocked to say anything. Each and every one of them wondered who and where, but they couldn't fathom any coherent answers. They all pondered upon the mysterious riddle the ancestress spoke of. Who? And why now? As the silence grew, they all looked around, looking for answers with questioning glances. Yuuki's eyes met Kaname's, as they stared at each other with questioning gazes. She should be relieved; this new development would mean that Kaname wouldn't have to sacrifice himself to become the new parent metal. It also meant that she wouldn't need to sacrifice herself either. But there was still a nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach, growing more and more concerned by the second.

_Evil will fester inside the weapon until it becomes indestructible – until it becomes the ultimate Vampire Knight…_

Her thoughts went immediately to Zero. Only he could possess the power to become the Vampire Knight. He was after all the strongest vampire hunter alive, having defeated her evil pureblood uncle after devouring his other half, his twin Ichiru. Zero was strong; resilient. The only one who could bear this task.

And she feared for him.

_Evil will fester inside the weapon until it becomes indestructible…_

Her eyes shot to Zero, who looked back at her, a contemplating look on his face. _Zero… evil?_ Her mouth opened, as the realization that Zero would be put through such horror dawned on her. His eyebrows knitted together as he watched her anxious expression. And then, as if the wheels in his head suddenly clicked, he realized what she was thinking.

He was the chosen one.

The Vampire Knight had to be him.

Hesitantly, he met her eyes again. Her brown orbs were swimming in unshed tears. A bad feeling settled instantly in his stomach upon seeing her worry. But even though he felt uneasy about the sudden change, he still felt somewhat at peace with at already. _"Live on... and fulfill your goal.."_ Ichiru's words echoed in his mind, reverberating through his whole body. This would give him purpose; this would give him a meaning in life, beyond being a hunter. He would be the vampire knight, and he would fight to protect humanity.

The ancestress broke the silence then, opening her mouth to speak.

"The chosen one is already among us. The ritual will take place shortly, here on this very soil where humans and vampire alike have shed tainted blood time and time again. The future that lies ahead is rooted in this very place."

Six cloaked men arrived, walking in two groups of three towards the small crowd near the furnace, chanting hymns in a language long-lost. Their heads were bowed, invisible to the people around them. Faceless shadows, heading for their target.

Every single vampire and hunter froze, not knowing what do, act or say in a situation like this. As the cloaked men drew nearer and nearer to the centre of the crowd by the furnace, Yuuki panicked. She couldn't let Zero go through whatever they were planning. She would not allow it. She sensed Kaname take a few steps in her direction; standing protectively by her side, close, but not close enough. She at glanced him; his expression was vary, and his eyes were narrowed with suspicion. She wanted so badly to ask him his thoughts: if he knew what was truly going on, if they should try to save Zero. But, as she noticed before, there was a slight relaxedness in his shoulders she'd never seen before. Whatever the ancestress said, Kaname trusted her. He couldn't disagree with his mentor; it came natural to him to listen to her, even though if it meant that his sacrifice would never happen.

Helpless she stood, worry flooding her mind. She trained her eyes on Zero, wanting to see his reaction. He stood tall, his posture straight, shoulders slightly tensed. His face was emotionless; his lips tightening into a narrow line. It seemed that he had accepted this new course of events. The thought of becoming an evil weapon didn't seem to bother him the least.

As she stood there, helpless to change whatever was going to happen, she opened her mouth to shout out her objection, when the cloaked men, who were once headed towards Zero´s direction, took a right turn, walking straight towards her. She gasped, not knowing what was going to happen. Kaname tensed by her side, anxious and ready to attack.

They were the only ones standing in front of the cloaked men.

That meant…

_Kaname…_ Of course, it would be him. Dread filled her, like rocks weighing her down. Turning to look at him, she found his jaw to be terse. His eyes caught hers, emotionless. He was prepared for this; whatever the elders decided, he would go along with it. Kaname becoming the vampire knight was worse than Kaname throwing his heart into a burning furnace. At least then she wouldn't see him, but feel him. But now... he would never be the same.

Now he would become someone else, a shadow of the kind, gentle man she had loved all her life.

Heart racing, she flung herself at Kaname, desperate to stop him. He couldn't do this. He _couldn't _do this. No. No. No. His mouth opened, ready to speak, but as they exchanged looks, there were no words spoken.

The cloaked men drew nearer. This was it.

* * *

"No!" Kaname growled, fangs glinting in the pale setting sun. "I won´t let you! Don´t do this to her, set her free!"

It had all happened in a blur. Her eyes kept shifting back and forth from Kaname and the cloaked men, her attention divided and unfocused. Kaname had gazed down at her, sadness coating his handsome features. This was goodbye. She reached her hand up to stroke his cheek when the men suddenly grabbed her by her arms, yanking her up and away from her beloved. At first she was confused. _Wait, if Kaname isn´t the one… _She could only hear Kaname's protesting voice vaguely in the distance, her mind in such a state of shock that she failed to realize that she was being dragged away by faceless, cloaked men. She began kicking with her legs, while she screamed in protest. The vampire knight? Her? If this was true, then this was a grave mistake by the elders.

"Yuuki!" She heard Zero yell out, anger clear in his expression. He was about to rush to her side and rescue her, when he was held back a by a mystical force, chaining him to the ground he stood on. He looked around, confused, ready to beat the crap out of anyone who dared come in his way, only to find that his captivators were long, chain-like shadows black as the night. They felt as heavy and dark as they appeared, the energy omitting from them carrying dark malevolence. As he looked around, he noticed that all the other vampires and hunters present were also bound by the same mysterious shackles. He could hear Kaname´s incessant growling as he tried to break loose from his many shackles. However, the more he fought, the more shadowy shackles appeared, chaining him completely down. It was the same with Zero; in order to rescue Yuuki, he´d aggravated the chains, making them surround him.

There was nothing he could do but watch as the only girl he´d ever loved – the girl he'd wanted to protect from every danger in the world – was dragged away and forced to become a dark creature.


	2. Chapter 2

**It Will Be Her  
**by _Quiet Intensity_

**A/N: Oh jeez you guys, I never expected anyone to like my story! But some of you do! I don't know whether you are all plain crazy, or just a bunch of lovely people. Either way, thank you for reviewing, favouring and following. It means a lot to a newbie writer's heart!**

**As some of you may have realized, I've decided to delete the original chapter 2, and replace it with this one. During the writing of chapter 3, I realized that I would have to split it up in two, or else it would be too long. But that wouldn't suit the story's tempo, so I've decided to add the first half of chapter 3 to chapter 2. Hope you aren't too confused!**

**Disclaimer: The universe of Vampire Knight and its characters belongs to Matsuri Hino. I am merely borrowing them.**

* * *

**CHAPTER 2**

Yuuki had been dragged towards the Hooded Woman's shadow, kicking and screaming. The cloaked men stopped in their tracks, holding her up by her arms as they stood in front of the Hooded Woman. The dark shackles appeared again, circling around Yuuki's arms and waist, snaking in between her legs and gathering at her feet, completely chaining her down. A sudden heaviness and anxiousness filled her up as she felt the shadow-shackles surrounding her vibrate with dark, ominous energy. She struggled to breathe, looking with bewildered eyes up at the ancestress in front of her.

"W-Why me...?" She managed to choke out. Even as she spoke she could feel the shackles binding her tighten further. She hissed in pain. The Hooded Woman gave her a grave look and a light smile, bending down to look at Yuuki's face directly.

"You have courage. You are strong, despite what every one else might think. You are willing to sacrifice yourself before others. You are kind… You have a pure, untainted heart that is necessary for your role. But your kindness, your generosity will also be your downfall if you continue on the path you're on. You must therefore be tainted; you must taste the evil that erodes this world, in order to open your eyes. The edges of your pure and kind heart must harden, so your attention can be focused on the task you have been given. There is a reason you have been so closely protected all your life, why people have died and sacrificed for you. You are the chosen one Yuuki, the only one who can protect this world. You are the vampire knight."

The ancestress rose again, staring at the crowd before her. Yuuki was shaking, unable to understand the situation. She knew only one thing; she was scared and terrified. Her whole body shook with emotion.

"These will be my final words. The prophecy must be finalized. Let the ritual begin, and let the true Vampire Knight rise". The Hooded Woman said, as her ghost began disappearing in a ray of light, little by little until there was nothing left.

Silence engulfed the vampire and hunters. Takuma Ichijo glanced over at his childhood friend, worry etched onto his expression. Kaname was hanging by his chains, his expression stricken. "No… no, not her… Don´t let it be her," he mumbled grievingly. It was odd for Takuma to see his childhood friend, who had always remained a stoic, unfazed figure even in the most difficult situations, be reduced to a mumbling mess. Kuran Kaname was genuinely shaken up. The man in question glanced over at Yuuki, his eyes filling with sorrow at the prospect of loosing her toward such a twisted faith.

She couldn't bear looking at him when he was in such a state. _Exactly what is going to happen to me? _Her questions were answered as the cloaked men gathered around her. Long, dark shadows crept out from the woods, enshrouding her in darkness. She felt ill, sick. And as the cloaked men ripped her blouse in two, plunging a sword made of black shadows through her chest, she felt the true horror of her future.

She was the chosen one. And there was no going back now.

* * *

_Earlier that day…._

Waking up, she felt at ease for the first time in a long time. As her eyes slowly opened, adjusting to her surroundings and the dim light that filtered through the curtains, she felt a warm, fuzzy feeling slowly envelope her as she realized what was in front of her.

This time, the first thing she got to see was her onii-sama's face.

_Kaname…_

The memories of their night flashed before her eyes, as the scent of their sheets finally registered in her mind. He had been so gentle, so loving… and so passionate when he touched her. Even as she cried, he's held her gently, pouring out all his love in soothing whispers. He'd kissed her wet lips, and she'd forgotten everything. It was just he and she; skin on skin and the cool breeze, which blew the curtains surrounding their bed.

It was such a wonderful night.

But it was his last night, and hers too.

Overcome with sudden sadness, she touched his face lightly, wanting to feel him one last time. His eyes fluttered, indicating he was aware of her touch, but not fully awake. This was her chance, now was the moment. Clutching the sheets around her tightly, she sat up, admiring his face for the last time…

_Okaa-sama, Otou-sama, Yori, Chairman…. Zero… I'm sorry, but I have to do this._

Closing her eyes, she felt her pureblood powers vibrate within her body as she began to concentrate on gathering all her life force, so she could use it to turn him human.

A hand suddenly caught her wrist, yanking it to the side and bringing her with it. She was suddenly pinned beneath a very angry Kaname. The sheets that had covered his torso were slowly descending off him, revealing his lean and muscular chest. He held both of her wrists with his hand as he stared down at her with stormy eyes.

"Yuuki… you troublesome girl. Were you trying to turn me?" He asked, frantic eyes scanning her shocked face.

She stuttered, captured by his gaze. "I-I… yes, Kaname… If you throw your heart into that furnace, you will never know any peace, and I'd rather give up my life so you can be human rather than living in a world where I'll never hear your voice again." As she spoke, her voice grew more and more determined, as her belief in her plan once again was boosted.

Saddened wine-coloured eyes stared down at her. "Oh, Yuuki…" Still keeping her wrists in his captive hands, he lowered his head to rest beneath her chin, in the crook of her neck.

"I thought we'd agreed upon this. Would you let humankind suffer on the hands of those vicious purebloods? Can you stand by and watch as their weapons, their only means of protection, is torn away from their hands?" His hands slowly loosened their grip on her wrists as he spoke. "Yuuki," he raised his face so he could look straight into her eyes. His right hand came up and traced her cheekbone. "How many more lives must end before you realize how necessary my sacrifice is?"

"Not your life. Your life doesn't have to end here. Please, don't do it like this." She grabbed onto his hand and brushed her lips against it. "Won't you let me do this for you? Turn you human? Think about the life you could li-" his warm lips against hers silenced her plea.

"You have already given me so much, Yuuki. Can't you see its all for you, always have, always will? If you died for my sake, I could never forgive myself. It wouldn't be right," his brown eyes pleaded with her to understand.

She turned her head stubbornly to the side, deflecting his advancing his mouth. "Letting you die is not right either," she huffed. She felt the pressure of hot tears behind her eyes, and squeezed them shut to keep them from falling.

His low chuckle reached her ears. "Always so stubborn…"

She felt his soft lips place open butterfly kisses along her turned neck. His gentle hand coaxed her face to face him. His other hand came up to cradle her face. She had always been his weakness. And as he witnessed her tear-filled brown eyes gaze up at him in utter sadness, he felt more useless and desperate than ever before.

"Please…. you… don't cry," he begged, kissing her salty tears away. "I don't ever want to see you cry like this."

"Then _live," _she whispered hoarsely.

He stilled above her. "It's not that simple, Yuuki," he murmured.

Once again, their lips met and their tongues battled. Just like the night before, they lost themselves to their passions, as the dooming day before them slowly drew closer.

* * *

It was such a shame that their relationship had only matured onto this stage just now, right before he went on his suicide mission. Being with him like that was incredible, and she found herself unable to describe it. Their morning had been spent in bed, making up for lost times, and giving in to their yearnings. A small part of her had hoped that this new development would make him reconsider his decision, but he was determined.

He was going to die today, regardless of what she said.

She denied it, of course. Couldn't even begin to imagine a world without him. It wouldn't be possible. If he wasn't there, then… all meaning was lost.

A familiar scent invaded her senses suddenly. She sniffed the air deeply out of reflex. It was a dear and nostalgic scent to her after all.

_Zero…?_

Leaping out of bed, she hurried over to the window to investigate his whereabouts. And sure enough, the silver haired hunter stood outside the large doors to the Kuran Mansion, alongside Kaito. _What is he doing here? He isn't supposed to get caught up in this._

She watched as the large mahogany doors opened, revealing Kaname. He leaned on the left door as he addressed the hunters. As always, he was dressed in all black. Yuuki could detect a hostile look on his face as he spoke to them. Unfortunately for her, she couldn't hear exactly what they were saying, as the windows to the Kuran Mansion were specially enforced to keep unnecessary sound from the outside to intervene with pureblood hearing. Opening the window was out of the question, as it would only alert the three men that she was listening. For now, she'd have to settle with bits and pieces from their conversation.

Kaito stepped inside, and as Zero was about to follow in his footsteps, he was blocked by Kaname, who had a pensive look on his face as he scrutinized Zero's appearance.

"Don't remember…. My poison …" She could barely make out what he was saying, but it was clear to her that he was not pleased with her decision to remove Zero's memories.

As expected of Zero, he threw a disgusted look at Kaname while he spoke. He proceeded to step inside the mansion.

Yuuki drew away from the window. Taking a deep breath, she wondered why _Zero _of all people would come to their mansion. Couldn't the Hunter Association send another hunter for once? She could practically feel her irritation rising within her. It wasn't like she didn't want to see him at all; her intention was to keep him out of all pureblood business for good, she wanted to protect him, not draw him further into this mess.

She could sense Kaname approaching as his footsteps echoed in the hallways. Without knocking, he entered the room and found her standing by the window, wrapped in a sheet, frowning.

Even now, in this situation, she was still enticing to him. The urge to tear off her sheet became stronger by the second.

"I believe we have guests to attend to, Yuuki," he muttered tersely.

Her head quickly snapped towards him. "What is he doing here?" She demanded, annoyance clear in her voice. "He isn't supposed to be involved in this anymore."

"Yes, I see you tried to make sure of that." A dark eyebrow rose as he spoke. If only she hadn't done this, Kiryuu would still act as her shield when he was gone, now he would have to start the process of retrieving his memories in the short span of time before he sacrificed himself, so he could protect and take care of Yuuki.

She straightened at his remark, while narrowing her eyes. "Tried? What is that supposed to mean?"

His ever-stoic mask remained indifferent. His voice was cold and stern as he stared at her with hard eyes. "Nothing. Please, get dressed and come down to greet our guests."

She turned her back to him, staring stubbornly out of the window. "Don't want to." She knew it was childish, but she couldn't help the deep irritation and anger she felt at the thought of Kaname using Zero as some twisted pawn again.

In an instant he was behind her, his hands trailing on her sides as he worked his way to the front of her make-shift dress. "Then I'll have to do it for you," he whispered next to her ear.

She turned swiftly in his arms, crossing her own arms to protect the opening of her make-shift dress and glared at him. "Don't touch me. I'll do it when I feel like it."

_Which is never, _she thought smugly.

His ability to read and understand her had developed throughout the years he'd watched over her, to the point where he dared say he almost knew her better than she did. Studying at her glaring expression and the way she'd crossed her arms so protectively at her chest, he could only conclude that she was far too angry and stubborn to do as he said, so he did the only thing he could to make her comply.

He'd lifted her up bridal-style before she had the time to react. "Kaname!" she yelled angrily, thrashing in his arms. His grip remained steadfast even as she hit him on the chest.

"Now, now Yuuki, don't you know I _love _it when you give me pain?" He tsked, a smirk forming at his lips.

Blushing furiously, she huffed and crossed her arms again, looking away. He finally arrived at her room, where he set her down. "Get dressed, please Yuuki. It's time you face the consequences of your actions," he couldn't help but stroke her flushed cheek as she pouted at him. _So adorable_…

With that, he turned, leaving her confused in her room.


	3. Chapter 3

**It Will Be Her  
**_by _Quiet Intensity

**A/N: WHAT DOES THE FOX SAY?  
I can't believe that a Norwegian comedy group is becoming world-famous for a skit about what the Fox says. I'm sorta proud. And embarrassed. If you don't know what I'm talking about, look up "Ylvis – The Fox" on youtube, it's got 30 million views and countin'.**

**Now, let's get serious. My apologies for this super late update. I never imagined writing a story would be _this _challenging! Details, people! They matter! This chappie is a looooooong one; it's partly me apologizing for my super-long absence, and me trying to tie up my story and make some non-sensical _sense._ My OCD tendencies is urging me me to cut this chapter in two (or three) (or four), but it wouldn't be fair to you lovelies, and it would ruin the flow of the story. I promise that we're going to get to the actual plot. I've got a lot of material written down for it!**

**I just have to say it. Thank you all so much for reading, favouring, reviewing and following this story. It really brightens up my day when I get e-mails with feedback, and it motivates me immensely. I am a very slow writer; I like to write complex stories, and I am a perfectionist, and when you combine those you get a heeell of a long wait, especially now that I'm back at school. But I plan to finish this story!**

**Now, time for some action and sassy Yuuki.**

**Disclaimer: Matsuri Hino owns Vampire Knight. Joss Whedon owns the ability to create strong, female protagonists. I'm a proud owner of a Khaleesi teacup from the HBO shop in New York.**

* * *

**CHAPTER 3**

"Ah, sister, thanks for joining us," Kaname announced as soon as she tiptoed around the corner. She narrowed her eyes in suspicion at the sight of his smiling face. Whatever he was up to, it wasn't good.

Keeping her eyes solely on him, she strolled into the room, taking the only seat available – which happened to be next to Kaname. She made sure to sit as far away from him as possible, scooting to the farthest corner of the red divan. However, Kaname seemed to have another idea.

His arm snaked its way behind her neck and to her side, drawing her as close as possible to him. She glared at him as he sipped happily on his tea.

"Kiryuu-kun, this is my sister," he announced in a funny voice as he set his teacup down. Kaito and Takuma visibly stiffened as he spoke, unsure of where this was going. One part of him was enjoying the fact that Zero's memories were gone, as it meant that his "competition" was out of the game. He couldn't help but be amused at the situation.

"Isn't she adorable? My cute sister," he added, before pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Mwah!"

"Whatever," the silver-haired hunter mumbled, looking as if he wanted to be anywhere else in the world than in this room.

He wasn't alone about that. Feeling highly uncomfortable with the situation, Yuuki tried her best to escape Kaname's tight grip around her waist, to no avail. She opted to settle her curiosity instead.

"So, what brings you here, Kaito-sensei and Zero-san?" She inquired gently, while her hands worked on prying Kaname's possessive hand away from her side.

Zero looked away in boredom as Kaito spoke. "We're here to escort you back to Cross Academy, as there have been new developments within the Pureblood society. Kaien said we'd need your assistance."

Kaname nodded, setting his teacup down at the table. "I see. There are just a few preparations I need to make before exiting the mansion…" He trailed off.

Yuuki, who had been busy prying his hand away from her and avoiding Zero's eyes, was suddenly pulled by Kaname's strong arms towards him. With a dark look towards Zero, he lowered his mouth to her neck, piercing her delicate skin with his fangs. As always, her blood was as delicious and sating as ever, warming his body and calming his senses. But he had a plan he had to follow, and so he made sure that some of her blood slipped past his roving tongue and down her neck. The scent of her thick Kuran blood permeated the room instantly, and Yuuki watched as Zero flinched, his eyes widening at the unreasonably familiar scent. She realized with a jolt what Kaname was trying to do, and turned away from his mouth, slapping his left cheek in the process. "No more," she seethed, "_stop_."

He hadn't expected her to slap him; he hadn't even expected her to catch on as fast as she had, but she'd surprised him. His cheek stung as he kept his eyes on Zero, who had a shocked expression on his face, looking between him and Yuuki with frantic eyes. This would have to do for now, he could only hope that the hunter's disgusting love for his dear girl would revive his memories.

He sensed Yuuki stand up from where she had sat beside him. Her blood continued to drip from his mouth as shame - although he'd only done this for her best - prevented him from looking up at her as she spoke.

Her voice was cold and calm, with an underlying hint of anger that chilled him. "I'll go get ready." She turned swiftly, stomping out the room with angry steps.

He'd upset her more than he'd intended to. His first instinct was to rush after her and apologize, but he couldn't. In a short matter of time, none of this would matter anymore.

* * *

The ride to Cross Academy had been silent and uncomfortable as Yuuki fumed besides him. She'd refused to speak to any of the men riding in the same car as her, merely nodding as Takuma asked her a simple question. Zero seemed troubled, which was a sign that his memories were resurfacing and that he had trouble coping with them. He'd need to consume Yuuki's blood in order to fully restore his memories, which Kaname was sure the hunter would figure out by himself. His only worry for now was Yuuki, and how she was feeling.

He'd done many things to upset her in the past, but she had never reacted in a way like this. The Kiryuu boy was very precious to her, it seemed, and Kaname could only hope that she would do the smart thing and decide to stay with Kiryuu, after he was gone from the world, instead of spending her days mourning his death.

It stung, not being able to spend the rest of his life by her side and simply handing her over to the hunter, but he had made a vow to the Hooded Woman, and he had no intention of breaking it, even if it hurt him more than he cared to admit.

After they'd all stepped out of the car, he reached for her hand, partly a test to see whether she was still angry with him or not, and partly because he simply wanted to feel her skin on his.

As he'd half-expected, she immediately drew her hand away from him when he reached for it. He sighed inaudibly.

Kaien's smiling face greeted them at the gates. "Welcome back, Kaname-kun and my lovely daughter! I trust everything went well at the mansion?" His eyes, framed by his trademark glasses, wrinkled at the corners as he tilted his head at the Pureblood pair in front of him. Kaname seemed as reserved and stoic and ever, while his lovely daughter stood with crossed arms and a fuming expression a few meters away from Kaname. Highly unusual, he noted while his cheery smile slowly faded into a grim expression.

Yuuki began walking through the gates, leaving the men behind. Kaien turned to Kaname, wanting an explanation, but quieted as the Pureblood walked past him with a tense facial expression. He sighed as he began following them, with Zero and Kaito at his heels.

* * *

Apparently, the Pureblood society had gotten information about Kaname becoming the new Parent Metal, which had angered them greatly. They were already displeased by Kaname's recent actions, and the hate towards the remaining Kuran family had grown enormously. Spies from the hunter association had detected a massive amount of level Cs and level Es, as well as their pureblood masters coming their way. It was only a matter of time before the school was surrounded.

Shook up.

There was no other way to describe his current state. Ever since that _vamper_ stuck his disgusting fangs into that pureblood girl, his body had been in frenzied state. Images swirled in his mind; coming at him from every angle, crashing into him so fast he had no way of comprehending them. When he tried to inspect one of the images floating in his mind, the details would become hazy and blurred, giving him a massive headache, as if his brain was splitting in half.

It felt like he'd devoured a life that wasn't his, and he was having trouble adjusting to it.

Furthermore, he was _hungry._

In his earlier days, he remembered the insane hunger he'd felt when he first transformed. But how did he get the blood again? How did he keep himself sane all these years?

Again, a splitting headache invaded his rational mind, and he groaned deeply into the palm of his hand.

So...

_Hungry_.

The blonde pureblood walking in front of him glanced at him warily, before turning away with a neutral expression, his long, straight hair flowing behind him as he walked towards their destination.

The hunter and the pureblood came to a stop in front of a cell, in which the pureblood King and his sister currently resided. The two were embracing. The girl was crying and sobbing loudly into her brother's chest. He kept shushing her while he stroked her back gently, rocked her back and forth in a soothing manner.

They were siblings; Kaito had informed him as they went over to the Kuran Mansion, and fiancés. Zero had snorted in disgust; thesedisgusting creatures were the only ones that could ever justify marrying and screwing your own sibling as _love. _It wasn't. It was disgusting, and it was a very well fitting practice, considering what kind of disgusting creatures they were.

However, as he gazed upon the loving pair in front of him, he felt a heavy lump form in his chest; his heart ached as he witnessed the connection between the two in front of him. This whole setting, it didn't feel right, and he hated himself for feeling even an ounce of sympathy for them.

The dark haired male glanced up as the bars were raised, revealing Isaya and Zero.

"Isaya, thank you," Kaname said, his voice rough and hoarse. Yuuki's cries instantly ceased as soon as she realized what was going on. She narrowed her eyes, turning her tear-streaked face to stare accusingly at her brother.

"You… how dare you. How dare you make these decisions for me! The last thing I want to do right now is to loose my powers!"

Kaname closed his eyes. Isaya gripped Yuuki's arms tightly, bringing her with him out of the cell.

"Yuuki… for the warmth you have given me, for the light you have shown me… thank you. When you forget about me, be content and happy, live your life as you were supposed to. I will never forget you." Kaname whispered his speech in an almost practiced manner; as if he'd spent weeks preparing his speech, only the actual speech was ruined by the raw emotion in his voice, and the hesitation that lay beneath it all. His eyes never left her as he watched her struggle in Isaya's arms.

Angry tears sprouted from her eyes. Her brows furrowed, anger-lines forming on her forehead. "I hate you! I hate you! I hate you for doing this to me!" Her fangs protruded from her lips as she yelled at him with all her might.

"Kaname…" she sobbed as he disappeared from her sight.

* * *

What a pain.

Constantly sobbing, shoulders shaking, tears dripping from her cheeks; carelessly living through every single emotion on the emotional spectrum.

It was so un-pureblood like, and it unnerved him beyond reasons. She sobbed yet again, sounding like a lone wolf howling into the night, while sniffling like a lost child.

_Damnit, what an annoying brat, _Zero thought angrily.

"Get this over with, will you?" Zero snarled at Isaya, who was standing in front of Yuuki, a timid expression on his face.

"I'm afraid the lady isn't interested in my services. It seems she yearns for another solution, so I will provide it to her," Isaya said, his hand stroking her cheek. Yuuki quieted, brown orbs staring up at him with renewed interest. "Y-you will?" She sniffed, staring up at him.

Isaya's sharp nail found the vein in her neck with the speed and velocity of a cat snatching a mouse. "Ow!" Yuuki cried as the wound began bleeding profusely. With a glance towards the hunter, Isaya turned, his black coat swaying in the wind as he walked away calmly.

Zero's eyes zoomed in on the wound on her neck. His senses went into overdrive as the scent of her blood registered in his system. He didn't even have time to hesitate before he buried his fangs deeply into her neck, blood flowing into his mouth and down his throat.

Like the missing pieces of a puzzle; one by one all of his erased memories came back to him, integrating themselves into his mind and soul, completing his missing picture. Along with the pieces came the sudden realization that he loved her, this fragile little girl in his arms, and he had sworn to protect her no matter the cost.

Yuuki pushed him roughly away from him. She could only flinch as she saw his former self return to his body.

"Idiot, stealing my memories away like that, as if I wouldn't find a way to get them back," his words were muffled by his hand as he wiped away the remnants of her blood on his lips.

"Zero, I-"

They were both interrupted by the sound of heavy footsteps, echoing throughout the area as if wild horses were running towards them at full speed.

Except those sounds weren't those of hooves hitting the ground; they were the sounds of crazed Level E's heading towards the Academy, heavy saliva dripping from their gruesome mouths as their teeth watered at the thought of blood and destruction.

"No time," Zero said, grabbing her head and darting into a sprint. She ran alongside him. They had to warn the others. The war was beginning.

* * *

He had always been a man of honour. Being raised as a respected pureblood Shouto, all his life good values had been instilled into his mind. The fact that he'd failed Kaname's orders troubled him, although he was convinced it was for the best. Ever since his wife sacrificed herself for their children's sake, his life had lacked colour and vibrancy; he'd fallen victim to the well-known pureblood curse of time. In his long life he'd witnessed very few purebloods unaffected by the Pureblood curse, two of them being Haruka and Juuri, his dear friends. Seeing their daughter so devastated earlier, a grave image of him weeping over his wife's decaying body after she'd sacrificed herself for their children entered his mind and refused to leave him.

He simply couldn't let the pain of lost love weigh down yet another young heart.

Kaname's tall silhouette crossed his line of sight. The Kuran Ancestor looked ill; dark circles festering beneath his saddened eyes, mouth set in a thin line, his shoulders slouching as if the weight of the world rested on them. Ironically, it did. But it wouldn't for long.

Isaya quickened his pace as he reached into his pocket to retrieve his anti-vampire dagger. But before he could reach the Ancestor, a ghostly white hand clamped over his mouth. He felt a sharp pain pierce his back; he winced as the antibody in his blood began reacting to the anti-vampire venom spreading through his veins.

His legs lost sensation first, and he stumbled to the ground, letting his hands brace him. His vision became blurry, and the urge to scream after Kaname became even stronger as he felt his throat tighten. He grunted out in pain. His attacker leaned down to whisper in his ear.

"I'm afraid I cannot let you stop Kuran Kaname, Isaya-sama._" _The stranger's voice was silky in an unpleasant way; his words edged their way into Isaya's failing consciousness, as if they were misshaped pieces of puzzle jutting out of a perfect picture. Whatever the hooded man way saying, he did not like it.

"_Sanguis est fatum_," the stranger whispered as the fair pureblood before him lost consciousness.

* * *

Cross Academy, once standing tall and strong as a symbol of co-existence and pacifism, had become a field of destruction. Ashes of dead vampires was strewn across the grass surrounding the area; dead and decaying bodies laid like fish washed out of the sea at the ground where the students once had had their lunches; the smell of burning flesh permeated the area.

The sounds of screams and wild growling reached his ears and disrupted his walk.

_So they've decided to attack._

He had two choices now. He could follow through with his plan and throw his heart into the furnace; provide the hunters and the loyal vampires with weapons. Or he could join the fight; protect the school that he helped build, it was after all he who had brought those vile creatures here.

His long legs were already running towards the field, but they carried him no further when he saw the mayhem unfolding in front of him.

_So much death, so much destruction…_

He detected a snarling Level E heading towards him. It was a woman, or it used to be a woman, dressed in scrubs with her ID-card hanging out of her pocket. She'd been a nurse at the local hospital; she'd helped nurse sick people back to health, she had been a giver of life.

And now she was nothing more than a vile beast.

Her head exploded like red fireworks before she could even reach him.

A familiar scent reached his senses, a scent he wasn't supposed to ever feel again; a scent that belonged to someone who should not be here at this very moment.

He rushed over to her while ducking expertly out of the way from angry claws, obliterating every single monster that reached for him.

Yuuki's wide eyes raked over him as he came towards her and Zero, relief and shock reflecting in her eyes. At this very moment nothing mattered but Yuuki's safety. The fact that she was here, _alive, _overwhelmed him. Instinctively he leaned forward, wanting to savour her lips, feel the sense of safeness they provided him with just one touch.

The sound of pained cries interrupted their bittersweet reunion. The three of them turned and watched as the Level E's clutched their heads and screamed out in pain, blood splattering from their claws as they tried to stop the excruciating pain.

All at once they exploded, ashes spreading over the fields like the winds of the Sahara desert. A white light embraced the field, and in the middle of it all, the Hooded Woman rose.


End file.
